Originally posted by mohb Without detracting from the superb quality of the image I must say that Nik's Silver Efex is excellent in giving that little bit extra to an image. Since I started using it I have regained my enthusiasm for B&W (I more or less abandoned it when I stopped printing from film) and now look for that lighting and composition that make for good B&W.
Indeed! Some of the presets they provide are excellent starting points, and quite often require little or none tweaking.
Originally posted by Arjay Bee Hey Mohb, for a preset I like Wet Rocks, which works for stuff other than wetrocks. Contrasty and grainy. Suits some subjects.
Yep, that's a good one for gritty looks. Fine Art can work well for some landscape shots, while the full dynamic presets often give an HDRish look that fit some architecture well. IMHO, of course. The good thing with this hobby is that there is no right or wrong - at least for one who has no intention of ever selling images